Telecommunications and managed services provider Seacom has launched its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite service for its enterprise clients after a two-year process of consultation with industry partners.

LEO satellites orbit the Earth at an altitude of up to 2 000 km – the same altitude at which the International Space Station currently orbits – an area that is essential for economic-related activities such as communication, transportation and observation.

LEO is especially optimal for enterprises with low latency and intensive workload requirements, including those in sectors such as financial services, retail, mining and education.

According to a statement released on Monday, Seacom's is part of the purchase order of the first shipment of LEO satellite equipment into South Africa, on which, once delivered, the company completed all necessary installations and test trials.

Seacom clients can now integrate LEO satellite connectivity into their network infrastructure and business continuity strategies, with the service marking an evolutionary shift in connectivity in South Africa and complementing existing terrestrial broadband infrastructure and technologies.

During the consultation phase, Seacom was invited to engage with several stakeholders on the feasibility of LEO satellite connectivity.

“Challenges on the macro level that enterprises are having to confront – most prominently, South Africa’s ongoing energy crisis in the form of loadshedding – require us to explore new avenues with clients, thus uncovering new opportunities for support and collaboration. Put simply, LEO presents an opportunity for us to help organisations confront real business challenges and problem statements in that sphere,” explained Seacom South Africa sales GM Clayton Codd.

“The journey for Seacom leading up to this launch has been very insightful and has given us a chance to learn more about this technology. Our clients have watched closely and have been very responsive. They are interested in the capabilities and overall potential of LEO connectivity technology and are attracted by the element of innovation and the stability it could bring to parts of their business.”

Seacom will also partner with one of South Africa’s leading financial service providers, which will use LEO to expand its network access capabilities and ensure reliable product and service delivery.

“Many clients and stakeholders may perceive LEO as a silver bullet that negates the need for existing terrestrial infrastructure. The truth is that it is a component of a comprehensive connectivity ecosystem and solution that requires collaborative solutions to address. LEO represents a strategic investment in resilience and business continuity, and Seacom is proud to be one of the frontrunners in facilitating that investment for its clients,” Codd added.

The launch of the LEO service marked not just a turning point for pan-African telecommunications, but was the result of significant investments in the sector and increased adoption, added Seacom Group CEO Alpheus Mangale.

“The end goal is to make the LEO service an essential value offering for organisations of all shapes and sizes. Connectivity is on track to become a wholesale service made up of different technologies that work together to meet clients’ needs and deliver the uptime and performance that’s expected from market leaders,” he said, noting that by holistically improving enterprises’ operational capabilities and providing always-on connectivity, the company was enabling them and ushering in a new wave of digital transformation.